Dream Chaser: Formerly impoverished teen writes novel
Kyle Chais, The once homeless young man recently got his first book, "Nameless," published by Simon & Schuster...
“It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.”
So the saying goes. For Kyle Chais, a young Brooklyn-born writer who wrote his first novel at 17, the saying speaks volumes about his state of mind amid dire childhood circumstances. The once homeless young man recently got his first book, “Nameless,” published by Simon & Schuster.
KYLE CHAIS SHARES HIS JOURNEY HERE
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Chais’ experience of growing up in a notorious housing project where drugs and crime were an everyday reality is an unfortunate rites-of-passage for too many black males. However, his ability to rise above his impoverished youth and fulfill his dream of becoming a published writer is what makes him exceptional and is a testament to his own resilience and audacity to dream.
We sent Frank Antonio Lopez, our New York-based Game Changers Project filmmaker to learn more about Chais’ journey.
Says Lopez: “I remember going out to Coney Island to meet Kyle. No lights. No cameras. Just him and I chatting it up. I remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow, this guy has such a great insight on life.’ In talking about his recent success and thinking about so many of my students’ lack of self-confidence I asked Kyle,
‘What about if someone doesn’t think they could write a novel? What about if they don’t believe in themselves?’
His answer was brilliant: “It doesn’t matter… write it anyway.”
Lopez says the young author’s perspective was inspiring and gained from his mother’s perseverance and inner strength. As both a poet and a filmmaker, Lopez was the perfect storyteller to create this Game Changers micro-documentary. He captures the quiet, self-assured presence of Kyle Chais on screen, and in doing so offers a symbol and counter-narrative for all youth who dare to dream beyond their circumstances. Watch it.
To learn more about the Game Changers Project, visit: gamechangersproject.org
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